New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-04-28

THE TEDDER BILL PASSES THE SENATE.
Yesterday the vedder Liquor Tax bill passed
the Senate by a vote of 1S To 13, two Rcpub-
licans. Mcmillan and Worth, voting against
it. 1t had undergone some changes iii the
Republican caucus. the Coggeshall amendment
having been stricken out and the rate OF
taxation having been reduced. Ii Is TO be-
regretted that it should have been thought
necessary to lower the rate for the principal
cities for the effect is to weaken the high
license bearing of the bill, and while perhaps
the change may not seriously affect the revenue
character of the measure. it should be obvious
thai its usefulness as a restraint upon the drink
evil must be diminished IN proportion as the
Utmost is lightened. IL is, however. clearly not
practicable to enter at this late stage of
the session upon further attempts at amend
ment, and it must DO realized that whatever
weakness has been imported into 1t since its
introduction is simply the result of unprepared-
ness on the part of a large percentage of the
State population to accept more drastic legis-
lation in this direction. Such as it is to-day it
is measure of what is practicable, and in that
light it should be regarded. 1t may be added
that to the limits of Its operation it will act as
high license bill, and will evidently afford
far test of the utility of the principle
The Democrats. though many OF them had
declared when the Crosby bill was on its pas
sage, that they were willing to accept and vote
for temperance measure which applied to the
whole State, as matter OF course repudiated
their promises and voted against the Vedder
bill, presumably in accordance with instruc-
lions from the Executive Chamber. 1t may be
concluded from this that Governor Hill does
not desire the bill to reach him, or that he in
sists upon having party backing for contem-
plated veto, plausible reasons for which it will
be even harder to find than in the case Of High
License. The subtle diplomacy OF the Execu-
i've however, has put him and his party into
the deepest kind of hole. They stand openly
committed to the support of the rumsellers
against interference, regulation or taxation OF
any kind. While unable to deny tho evils
caused by drink or the urgency OF the need for
some abatement of those evils, these small poll
ticians occupy the attitude Of champions and
protectors of the rum power that is,
its humble servants and facile instru-
ments Voting almost solidly against
every reform measure, making the advocacy OF
free rum partisan issue they may be SAID to
have burned their ships ut last, and to have
cast III their fortunes finally with the saloon
men. Henceforth 1t will be useless for them to
pretend that any kind of bill whatever having
for its object the diminution Of the drink evil
would meet their approval.
In removing the COggeshall amendment
from the Vedder bill before its adoption In
caucus the Republicans undoubtedly saved the
measure from defeat. Senator COggeshall
himself assented to the change, and gave the
bill afterwards the cordial support his friends
all along counted on. The provision which
turns the proceeds of the tax into the State
Treasury Is precisely the one which could
alone have secured it the votes necessary
to its passage. In an ideal state of
things, where selfishness was unknown and rigid
equity controlled every thing and everybody, it
might have been possible to get the bill passed
without any such condition. Things being what
they are, it was not practicable, and in order
that some reform might be effected and that all
the temperance work Of the session should not
60 for nothing, the original Vedder bill
was preferred In this particular, and
with what practical understanding of
the situation its passage by the Senate
shows. 1t is true that The Evening Post which
now exposes the insincerity of all its temper
ance talk, is not satisfied with the bill. and fat
uously defines it as putting liquor into politics.
1t is equally true that when the Republican eau
Gus adopted the Crosby bill the same murable
journal could see no politics in the proceeding.
If the Republicans had not caucused on the